Holder for correcting ingrowing toenails



Dec. 17, 1935. f D. E. wlLsoN 0:24AM

HOLDER FR CORRECTING INGRQWING TOENAILS l Y Filed M arCh 18, 1955 Patented Dec. 17, 1935 ATE y or HOLDER FOR CORRECTING INGROWENG TOENAILS David E. Wilson, West Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 18, 1935, Serial No. 11,632

1 Claim. (Cl. 12S-81) Y This invention relates to an appliance for correcting the growth of ingrowing toe-nails, and the principal object thereof is to provide a lightweight non-tarnishing one-piece toe-nail holder that, when attached can be comfortably worn with a shoe and stocking; and also which when in use, will have sufficient tension to lift the front and side edge portions of an ingrowing toe-nail into a proper natural position and hold them there without causing excessive suffering to the individual and also until the unnatural growth of the nail is corrected.

To the end I provide a holder that is relatively light and formed of non-tarnishing spring metal so it can be bent to extend its oppositely arranged front flanges under the ingrowi'ng front portion of the toe-nail adjacent -the sides thereof, so that when' the holder is released its tension will lift the side edge portions of the ingrowing toenail out of the flesh-imbedded position into a relatively straight, natural position for the purpose above specified.

A feature of invention is shown in providing the holder with retaining detents that will maintain the holder in a relatively fixed position after it is attached to an ingrowing toe-nail so it cannot be accidentally displaced while in use.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing and detailed description thereof.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention, in which:

Figure l is an enlarged fragmental view of a human foot with ingrowing toe-nail holders attached thereto that are constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragment-al plan View of a greatly enlargedtoe with an ingrowing toe-nail holder attached thereto.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the toe as viewed from line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged plan view of the holder shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on staggered line 5-5 of D Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is another section on line 6 6, Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a plan View of a slightly modified form of holder.

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

50 Fig. 9 is a plan view showing a skeleton frame holder.

My one-piece holder includes a body portion l that has extensions Il extending forward from its front edge l2 that are bent to form 55 flanges I3 that extend under the body l0 a sufficient distance to be placed under an ingrowing toe-nail i4 at the side edges thereof to lift them out of the flesh of the toe into a natural position.

The body portion Il) is formed of spring. metal so it can be bent at its cross center to facilitate 5 hooking the flanges i3 under the front edges l5 of the ingrowing toe-nail i4 so that when the holder is released its tension will lift the edges i5 out of the recesses i6 that they have formed in the flesh of the toe ll by their ingrowing 11n-,10 natural growth.

In addition to the tension of the spring body holding the side front edges of the toe-nail up l out of the recesses IE5 to correct the growth, it will also cause the detents IS that are arranged 15 around the curved back edge of the holder to sink a sufficient distance into the outer surface of the toe-nail to securely anchor the holder on the toe so it will not slip forward and off of the toe-nail when a stocking or shoe is removed from 20 the foot.

Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive show a preferred form of holder enlarged to more clearly show its detailed construction, it being understood that in actual practice there will necessarily be a large variety 25 of sizes.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modified form of holder constructed so its lianges i3 converge inwardly toward a common center so that in use they extend under the toe-nail further around toward its side edges.

Fig. 9 shows a holder with a skeleton frame to make it much lighter and also to enable a larger number of detents i8 to be spaced along its numerous edges.

In other words, the holder H5 shown in Fig. 9 has a straight front portion I9 that is connected to the curved rear portion 2@ by the end parts 2i and 22 and intermediate part 23 so that in addition to the detents I8 extending around the 40 re'ar curving edge 26, as shown in the other figures, there are detents 25 that are spaced along on the inner edges 2t. Otherwise this holder I lll is substantially like that shown in the other gures.

In use I select a holder of the right size and after applying pressure at its side edges to bend it into the form of a bow, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, I slip the flanges I3 under the front side edges of an ingrow'ing toe-nail with 50 the body l0 arranged centrally over the nail. Then I release the holder and its spring-tension causes it to straighten out over the toe-nail to slightly imbed the detents therein and also to lift the ingrowing portions of the toe-nail away 56 from the flesh and maintain the lifted portion of these parts until future growth has corrected the defective toe-nail.

I claim:

A one-piece holder for correcting ingrowing toe-nails including a thin non-corroding spring metal body having a back curved edge, flanges integral therewith that are adapted to be inserted under the ingrowing portions of a toe-nail when said body is bent temporarily into the form of a bow, downwardly extending detents on the underside of said body arranged around the back curved edge thereof that are adapted to engage the top surface of the toe-nail when the bending pressure on said body is released so that in straightening out the tension thereof will imbed said detents slightly in the toe-nail to retain it thereon and also lift the ingrowing portions of the toe-nail outl of the flesh of the toe and hold them in a position so their unnatural growth can be corrected by a natural growth. 10

DAVID E. WILSON. l 

